Rubber core mold



y 8, 1953 H. H. EASTERDAY 2,646,606

RUBBER CORE MOLD Filed Sept. 15,- 1949 /2 I INVENTOR. '7' v Yo X77 lam/77i 6 a 7 62 A TTo/PA/E Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE RUBBER CORE MOLD Horace H. Easterday, Thermal, Calif.

Application September 13, 1949, Serial No. 115,481

I This invention relates to the construction of el- "bow passages inconcrete or other cast material. The invention is particularly useful inthe construction of meter stand bases for use in irrigation lines andother water conduit systems in which water is metered. The use of asmoothwalled, rounded elbow passage leading from a horizontal inlet to avertical throat communicating with a water meter, is consideredessential to the proper functioning of a conventional irrigation watermeter. Segmental forms have been used for casting such rounded elbowpassages, but

7 of my invention is to provide an apparatus for precasting roundedelbow passages in plastic material such as concrete, at a 10W unit costand with satisfactory design and wall finish in the passage.

, In general, the invention attains this by utilizing a collapsible coremold and a series of steps in which the core mold is installed in theoverall mold for the stand base, is then rigidified by filling it withwater, and, after a concrete' base has been cast around it, is drained,is collapsed and is then stripped from the casting by pulling it, incollapsed form, through the elbow passage that t has been cast aroundit,

A further object of the invention is to provide, for the forming ofelbow passages, an improved core mold which can be readily stripped fromthe passage that has been formed around it. Another object is to providesuch a core mold having relatively simple, yet efiicient means forattaching its ends to an outer mold and for injecting and ejecting waterand air into and out of the same. A particular aspect of the inventioninvolves the provision of common means for both attaching the core tothe outer mold and for injecting and ejecting, such means being in theform of threaded tubular nipples or valve stems which function both asfluid connections and as attachment means.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specification andappended drawings in which 4 Claims. (Cl. 25 118) Fig. 1 is a verticalsectional view of a meter stand base constructed in accordance with theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the use of my improved core mold incasting a rounded elbow in the base;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the core mold;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View of a modified form of the core mold;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end view of the same.

. Referring first to Fig. 1, which discloses a 3CFS meter stand basedesigned by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, a water meter 5 has itsthroat supported in a vertical position on and communicating with avertical pipe 6 the lower end of which is mounted in a concrete base 1.Water enters the base I through a horizontal pipe 8 and reaches thevertical pipe 6 through a rounded elbow passage 9 cast into the base 1.After passing through the. meter 5 it spills out into the dome I0 of themeter stand and makes its exit through an elbow passage l l in the baseI, communicating with a horizontal pipe I2. While the elbow passage Hmay be of a sharp, right-angled design as shown (which makes it possibleto use two straight core sections which come together on a 45 degreebias and may be pulled separately from the base that has been castaround them) the elbow passage 9 must be of an arcuate design, withsmooth rounded walls, in order that the water fiowingthrough the metermay register accurately therein. Ac-

cordingly, a core mold utilized for shapin the passage 9 must be aunitary one, and the invention therefore provides a collapsible coremold shown in Fig. 4, the ends I5 are extended to form flanges l1.

Secured in the ends [5 are tubular nipples H3. The nipples l8 arevulcanized into the end walls [5 so as to be fluid tight and securelyanchored therein. Normally the ends of nipples l8 are closed by caps 18threaded thereon.

The base 1 is cast in inverted position. In

order to form the smooth, iiat upper wall 19 thereof, it is cast againsta bottom plate 26 which has an annular bead 2i for shaping in the base Ithe annular groove 22 which receives the ring of bonding material 23joining the base I to the dome Ill, in the finished meter stand. Toshape the lateral wall of the base I, there is employed an annularlateral form 24 which is arranged with its open lower end registeringwith the periphery of bottom plate '28. Bottom plate 26 and lateral form24 cooperatively constitute an outer form. They are provided withopenings 25 through which the nipples 18 are passed. The core mold I3 issecured to the outer form by means of nuts 25 which are threaded ontothe nipples it and into engagement with the bottom plate 2e and lateralform 24 respectively. Attempts to support the core mold in other wayshave not proven satisfactorythe ends i tending to gap away from thewalls of the outer mold form. By attaching them to the walls of theouter form, they are maintained securely in register with the outer formwalls, and the remainder of the core "mold is accurately positioned andshaped. Also, the seepage of concrete between the end walls i5 and thewalls of the outer mold is avoided, and the extremities of the elbowpassage 9 are formed with clean lines of joinder with the outer walls ofthe base I.

After the core mold is thus attached to the outer ft'il'rii, it isfilled with water 2'? in order to impart to it a rigid, non-collapsiblestate. This is accomplished by applying to one of the nipples 1B the endof a water hose 28, and opening one of the other nipples so as to bleedair out of the core mold as the water is injected thereinto. In orderthat all of the air may be discharged most readily, the V uppermostnipple is preferably opened, and the water is injected into thelowermost nipple of the series at the upper end of the core mold. CapsI8 are then applied to the ends of the open nipples 18, to close them Inorder to secure the pipes t and 8 in the concrete base, the base isprovided with enlarged bell mouths 29 at the extremities of elbowpassage 9. These bell mouths are formed by collars 30 which surround thecylindrical ends l6 of tube member M. 'The collars 313 are provided withcarriagebolts 30' which extend "through appropriately located openingsin the base plate and lateral form '2'! and are secured by nuts Theouter walls or collars at are frusto conical in order to impart thedesired shape to hell mouths '29, and also in order that they may bereadily withdrawn from the base 1. The collars -33 are inserted over theends of the core mold 13 before the ends 1 5 are attached to the 'outerform. This may be accomplished by collapsing the ends of the core moldand inserting them through the collars 30.

When the "form has been made ready, concrete is poured therein andallowed to set. After it has hardened suili'cie'ntly all caps l8 andnuts 25 and at" beneath p1ate'20 are removed. At this point, it may benoted that the bottom plate is suitably supported by legs or other means31 at a sumcient height (e. g., 6") above the ground to give access 'tothe nipples and carriage bolts. The nuts 26 and 3%" in contact withlateral form 24 are then removed, and the cap 18 of an adjacent nippleI8 is removed to allow air to enter the core mold I-3, thereby causingthe water to drain from the core mold.

Lateral fer-m 24 is then removed, base 1 is raised vertically about sixinches, and base plate 29 is knocked loose and removed. Base 1 is thenhoisted, using a suitable crane or other hoistin means, is moved toapproximately the position it is to finally occupy, and is set down,right side up as in Fig. l, with the end adjacent nipples l8, proppedup. With a suitable pole or equivalent instrument, the upper end of coremold I3 is then pushed downwardly into the passage 9, exhausting itscontained air, collapsin it, and thus loosening it from the wall ofpassage 9. It is then pushed through the open end of the passage 9 atthe side of base I (where pipe 8 is to be connected). This step may befacilitated by having an assistant exert a pull against the nipples H3at the lateral end of the core mold.

Fig. l illustrates how, instead of nipples l8, the valves [8a. may beemployed as fluid connections. Such valves may also be utilized inconnection with nuts 25 as means to attach the ends of the core mold tothe form. Alternatively, the valves (or nipples 18 of Fig. 2) mayfunction merely as fiuid connections, and the ends of the core meld maybe secured by the engagement of collars 38a with flanges ll of the coremold. Flanges H are provided with notches I? to receive carriage bolts'33, the latter functioning to clamp flange ll tightly between collar3fia and the forms 20 and 24.

The advantage where flange i1 is 'used is to make it possible to utilizethe carriage bolts to hold the ends of the core mold.

The above applies to factory casting and striping. The meter stand maybe cast at the permanent site of operation or use, in which case coremold 'i may be positioned to correspond "to the position of passage 9 inFig.1. Stripping may be the same as above described.

I claim:

1. A mold for casting a concrete meter stand base having a quartercircular elbow passage therein for joinin irrigation pipe lines,comprising: a bottom plate for forming the upper surface of said standbase, a side form for forming a side surface of the base, said bottomplate and side form each having an inwardly project ing collar, with acylindrical inner wall and a 'fru'sto-conical outer wall, and eachhaving a plurality of apertures disposed within the confines of therespective collars, a collapsible core including a tubular body of'quarter' circular 'L- shape and end members closing the respective endsof said tubular body, respective ends of said core being receivable andadapted to closely fit within respective collars, threaded studs sealedand anchored in said end members and positioned for extension throughrespective ones of said apertures when said ends of the core arereceived in the respective collars, and nuts threaded on the respectivestuds and operable to clamp said bottom plate and side form against saidand members, at least two of said studs being in the form of tubularstems, whereby water may be injected into said core through one of saidstems while air is bled from the core through the other of "said stems,said core functioning to form, in said stand base, a quarter circularL"-shaped passage, and said collars functioning to rural,

said stand base, at the respective ends of said L-shaped passage,annular recesses coaxial with said passage ends and adapted to receive'ends of pipe sections to be joined to said stand base, and to receiverings of sealing material around said pipe sections.

2. A mold for casting a concrete meter stand base having a quartercircular elbow passage therein for joining irrigation pipe lines,comprising: a bottom plate for forming the upper surface of said standbase, a side form for forming a side surface of the base, said bottomplate and side form each havin an inwardly projecting collar, and eachhaving a plurality of apertures disposed within the confines of therespective collars, a collapsible core including a tubular body ofquarter-circular L-shape and end members closing the respective ends ofsaid tubular body, respective ends of said core being receivable andadapted to closely it within respective collars, threaded studs sealedand anchored in said end members and positioned for extension throughrespective ones of said apertures when said ends of the core arereceived in the respective collars, and nuts threaded on the respectivestuds and operable to clamp said bottom plate and side form against saidend members, at least two of said studs being in the form of tubularstems, whereby water may be injected into said core through one of saidstems while air is bled from the core through the other of said stems,said core functioning to form, in said stand base, a quarter circularL-shaped passage, and said collars functioning to form, in said standbase, at the respective ends of said L-shaped passage, annular recessescoaxial with said passage ends and adapted to receive ends of pipesections to be joined to said stand base, and to receive rings ofsealing material around said pipe sections.

3. A mold for casting a concrete meter stand base having a quartercircular elbow passage therein for joining irrigation pipe lines,comprismg: a bottom plate for forming the upper surface of said standbase, a side form for forming a side surface of the base, said bottomplate and side form each having an inwardly projecting collar, and eachhaving a plurality of apertures disposed within the confines of therespective co1 lars, a collapsible core including a tubular body ofquarter-circular L-shape and end members closing the respective ends ofsaid tubular body, respective ends of said core being receivable andadapted to closely fit within respective collars, threaded studs sealedand anchored in said end members and positioned for extension throughrespective ones of said apertures when said ends of the core arereceived in the respective collars, and nuts threaded on the respectivestuds and operable to clamp said bottom plate and side form against saidend members, at least two of said studs being in the form of tubularstems, whereby water may be injected into said core through one of saidstems while air is bled from the core through the other of said stems,and caps adapted to be fitted onto said threaded ends of the stems toclose them against escape of water from said core, said core functioningto form, in said stand base, a quarter circular L-shaped passage, andsaid collars functioning to form, in said stand base, at the respectiveends of said L-shaped passage, annular recesses coaxial with saidpassage ends and adapted to receive ends of pipe sections to be joinedto said stand base, and to receive rings of sealing material around saidpipe sections.

4. A mold for casting a concrete meter stand base having a quartercircular elbow passage therein for joining irrigation pipe lines,comprising: a bottom plate for forming the upper surface of said bottomplate and side form each having an inwardly projecting collar, and eachhaving a plurality of apertures disposed within the confines of therespective collars, a collapsible core including a tubular body ofquarter-circular L-shape and end members closing the respective ends ofsaid tubular body, respective ends of said core being receivable andadapted to closely fit Within respective collars, threaded studs sealedand anchored in said end members and positioned for extension throughrespective ones of said apertures when said ends of the core arereceived in the respective collars, and nuts threaded on the respectivestuds and operable to clamp said bottom plate and side form against saidend members, at least two of said studs being in the form of tubularstems, whereby water may be injected into said core through one of saidstems While air is bled from the core through the other of said stems,and an annular bead on said bottom plate, surrounding the collarthereon, for impressing in the upper face of said stand base an annularsealing groove to receive a ring of sealing material attaching the standbase to a tubular housing member to be supported thereon, said corefunctioning to form, in said stand base, a quarter circular L-shapedpassage, and said collars functioning to form, in said stand base, atthe respective ends of said L-shaped passage, annular recesses coaxialwith said passage ends and adapted to receive ends of pipe sections tobe joined to said stand base, and to receive rings of sealing materialaround said pipe sections.

HORACE H. EASTERDAY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 400,308 Cranmer et a1 Mar. 26, 1889 857,582 Boyle June 25,1907 1,246,404 Dunning Nov. 13, 1917 1,552,064 Lake Sept. 1, 19251,566,903 Durst Dec. 22, 1925 1,600,353 Nose Sept. 21, 1926 1,619,362Murray Mar. 1, 1927 1,624,704 Adams Apr. 12, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 609,209 Great Britain Sept. 28, 1948 638,360 France 192865,491 Switzerland 1913

